Root hairs (RHs) are critical for nutrient acquisition, yet the mechanisms by which their elongation is calibrated to environmental cues remain poorly understood. While the lateral root cap (LRC) physically encases the root tip, its potential regulatory role in determining the fate of the neighboring epidermis has been largely overlooked. In this study, we demonstrate that the persistence of LRC is required for a transient signaling hub that remotely controls RH elongation in Arabidopsis. The LRC-localized NAC transcription factor SOMBRERO acts as the integrative hub of an auxin-driven communication pathway between the LRC and epidermis. Specifically, ANAC033/SOMBRERO (SMB) coordinates auxin transport and biosynthesis by regulating the expression of AUX1 and the indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)-to-IAA conversion gene ECH2, which cooperatively create auxin maxima in the epidermis to drive RH elongation. Furthermore, we showed that SOMBRERO is required for maintaining basal expression levels of genes associated with RH development and acquisition of nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby regulating the RH responses to external nutrient conditions. Our findings uncover a non-cell-autonomous mechanism within the LRC through which SMB activates a precise transcriptional circuit that is coordinated with the LRC developmental program to optimize RH foraging strategies under fluctuating environments.
Zhen Wang, Yuan-Da Lv, Lu-Lu Zheng et al.· Current Biology· 0 citations
The integration of environmental and developmental cues into coherent physiological responses is fundamental to plant survival. Reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur species (ROS/RNS/RSS) are now recognized as essential signaling molecules, not merely cytotoxic byproducts. Their specificity is largely achieved through reversible, site-specific cysteine oxidative post-translational modifications (Cys-OxiPTMs), which constitute a dynamic and sophisticated "redox code". This review provides a systematic synthesis of the current landscape of Cys-OxiPTMs in plants, bridging chemistry, hormone biology, agronomy, detection, and engineering. The chemical and enzymatic basis of major Cys-OxiPTMs is detailed, along with a discussion of how their spatiotemporal interplay orchestrates signaling specificity. A critical examination is then presented on how these modifications decode and integrate plant hormone signaling networks to regulate key agronomic traits. Cutting-edge proteomic technologies that have revolutionized the identification of redox-sensitive cysteines are also evaluated. Finally, forward-looking strategies to "write" the redox code are explored. By moving the field from descriptive cataloging to predictive "redox breeding," this review establishes a foundational framework for manipulating Cys-OxiPTMs to develop climate-resilient, high-yielding crops for sustainable agriculture.
Dan Zhao, Feifei Huang, Haimiao Zhang et al.· Journal of genetics and geno...· 0 citations
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